Hispanicize: Ground Zero for Latina Networking

At Hispanicize 2014, held April 1st through 4th, Latino trendsetters came together to share the latest trends in media and beyond. Las Fabulosas spoke with two of the event’s advisory board members about how Latinas are advancing their industries and the lives of other American Latinas.

Claudia Gioia, EVP, Miami Market Leader and Latino Leader at Burson-Marsteller PR firm: “Marketing and public relations are services that grew exponentially as the markets became more sophisticated. Micro-targeting proved a successful formula for connecting with the general public, but is significantly more so among minority groups like Latinas. New generations of Latinas are finding opportunities to grow their careers by supporting brands.”

On how Latinas are changing America:Many Latinas grew up in multigenerational homes, where there was a need to listen and understand family members’ needs. Employers are very interested in these attributes. After the last presidential election, it became apparent that the Hispanic population is so relevant that every general marketing and communications program needs to include them. Latinas added a great deal of authenticity to the whole ballgame in the U.S. by being excellent communicators and engagers, with an open and inclusive spirit.”

Pili Montilla, TV Host, Actress, Producer, Blogger and Social Media Expert: “There’s a beautiful need to go back to our cultural roots. In music we see a resurgence of Latin beats and sounds such as Cumbia. Lyrically, we hear a constant pride in being Latinos. We’re also seeing support for more independent, alternative acts.”

On how Latinas are changing America:Latinas in the industry are strong, ambitious, creative mujeres. We are branching out into other careers within the entertainment industry such as production, script supervising, directing and many more. Jennifer Lopez, for example, is an actress, singer, designer and more. This is inspiring to anybody, regardless of nationality, and will lead to more jobs for Latinas. While having a handful of Latinas in the public eye does not portray the full diversity of Latina women, we are heading in the right direction.”

by Lauren Fischer